European Wall Lizard

Resurrecting Lazarus Lizards

I’ve posted several BYGL Alerts over the years about the so-called Lazarus Lizards (Podarcis muralis, family Lacertidae). However, I’m resurrecting these fascinating reptiles based on spotting a few skittering around on a rock retaining wall near my home in Butler County, just north of Cincinnati.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

The Rise of Lazarus Lizards

So-called Lazarus Lizards were a topic in both a diagnostic walk-about and a meeting I was involved with last week. The lizard's common name is influenced by where you stand, literally. If you're an American herpetologist, you would call them European Wall Lizards. If you live in Europe, they are Common Wall Lizards. If you're a native Cincinnatian, you would likely call them Lazarus Lizards.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

A Non-Native, Native Lizard

If you're ever visiting Cincinnati during the dog days of summer, keep your eyes peeled for a fascinating non-native lizard scurrying over rock walls, darting across sidewalks, and lurking in landscaping. These lizards are intriguing because the story of how they got to Cincinnati and their ascent to equal treatment amongst native reptiles is almost unprecedented for reptiles in Ohio.
Published on
Authors
Joe Boggs